Though the twelfth season of Doctor Who is still a long wait away, it seems that the titular space traveler and her latest team are already back in front of cameras, with the BBC confirming earlier today that the sci-fi series “is back in production!” The announcement comes to us via the show’s official Twitter account, which also shared a photo of Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill, Jodie Whittaker and Tosin Cole on set.
Judging by the various shorts and sunglasses displayed in the picture, fans have started speculating that the episode currently being filmed will take the gang somewhere “tropical,” and seeing how it’s the middle of January right now, we sure hope for their sake that the cast isn’t dressed like that in Sheffield. As a matter of fact, Walsh last night accepted a National Television Award via FaceTime from South Africa, so we can probably put two and two together on this one.
In any case, season 11 of Doctor Who brought a few tweaks to the formula that proved somewhat divisive with fans. For one thing, the latest set of episodes saw a more explicit focus on social issues – a change that showrunner Chris Chibnall defended earlier this month, arguing that the series should be “a response to the times that we’re living in and the world that we’re in.”
One idea that Chibnall seems a little more flexible on, however, is his decision to exclude classic monsters from the eleventh season. Just recently, the producer broke his own rule with the inclusion of a Dalek in the New Year’s Special “Resolution,” and has also given a coy “maybe” on the possibility of more familiar villains returning in the future.
Sounds like there may be some treats in store for longtime fans then, but all will be revealed when season 12 of Doctor Who airs in 2020.